Mio's A701 GPS-enabled Pocket PC Phone

The Register scored some advance pics of the Mio A701, a new powerhouse of a Pocket PC Phone Phone that runs on Windows Mobile 5.0 and has a built-in GPS, tri-band GSM/GPRS a 520MHz processor, 192MB of memory (prob. 128MB of RAM and 64MB of ROM), a 2.7-inch LCD touch screen (El Reg isn't sure whether it's VGA or QVGA), a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 1.2, and an SD expansion card slot. Should probably be announced next week.

[gfunkmagic @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

>>>>> 192MB of memory (prob. 128MB of RAM and 64MB of ROM)

Nah...If it uses WM5, then it will probably have persistant memory which means it won't have more than 64MB ram...

[Richard @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

That's a sharp looking unit. The built in GPS is a sweet idea, too. Pocket Streets would smoke with it.

The screen (from the mock up - I'm assuming that's an overlay image on the screen) sure looks VGA, not QVGA...

[Raz @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

Mmm, gimme that theme!

[-Tb- @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

that sure is lustworthy, too bad i just bought an HX4700.

[deb_ilio @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

Typo in the article's title: 710 should be 701

[PA @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

Now wouldn't that thing rock if it had wifi !

[tpp @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

no wifi, no sale.

[www51 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

sure it's vga, looks pretty

[blueQ @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

hmm, just 1 step away of beeing the ultimate compact pocketpc phone. :( no wifi.
Meesa go back to e-ten m600 second fav.,
soon available...
but sad story though

[blueQ @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

or maybe gigabyte einstein...

[blueQ @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

or maybe gigabyte einstein...

[Biochemlab @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

Agreed... I was sold until I couldn't find anything that said Wi-Fi.
I was looking at the Nokia 770... until I found out it wasn't phone.
Now what?

[murph @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

needs a keyboard, but i like how they hid the antenna under that black cap to keep the device's profile nice and smooth.

my i730 antenna is always poking my pocket like a little hard-on.

[sunz @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

hmm .. given that it is '1 step' away from being perfect .. i might have to deal with a SD wifi card if necessary ..though .. this is the first gadget like this that i am diggin. And i am sooooo happy that there is no keyboard ..

[blueQ @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

Actually there are not many compact pocketpc
phones out there.
I'm wondering why can't some1 put
- bluetooth
- wifi
- gps (optional)
- windows mobile 5.0
- some nice horsepower ... 500mhz
- sdio
- at least 1.3 mpix cam
- gprs

into one fine freakin'device?

[tpp @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

The iPaq hw6715 looks like a badass package to me. Too bad it's not out yet.

[oturn @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

Why do these morons keep producing phones without built-in Wi-Fi?

[blueQ @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

the iPaq hw6715 is freakin' HUGE.

[blueQ @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

dudes let's just wait 6 more months, and than the win mob 5.0 market of compact pocketpc phones will have surelly some devices ready to outclass the rest of the mobile phones, smartphones out there.

until than, all will miss somethin' on their products. If it has wifi it lacks blueth., if it has both it lacks sdio and so on...

iritatin'
___________

[M_Mickey @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

Notice the reset button on the side :)

[mike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

WHERE IS THE WIFI????

[Samuel Lago @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

Come on, at last GPS with a camera! obviously by imbedding the GPS co-ordinates into the meta-data images can be accurately displayed on Google/MS Maps

http://www.grazer.de/exif_mapper/

[Andre @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

This is a sweet lookin device. A keyboard like the Apache and wifi would have made it just about perfect. Built in GPS is exceptional though. If the Apache had built in GPS and had no antenna (US version) then it would be top dog.

[Tyson @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

who can we expect to cary this little beauty? (sure as he11 won't be verizon... i never get to buy a cool phone)

[Tyson @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

who can we expect to cary this little beauty? (sure as he11 won't be verizon... i never get to buy a cool phone)

[Empyrean @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

I'm more or less wondering what the price range on this beaut will be.

[Lorien @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

It's quad-band gsm byt the way, not tri-band. Thus Verizon and Sprintel can't carry it. I'll wager Cingular if any...

[Dom @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

Looks incredible!!! I hope post 27 is correct and it actually is quad band. I can live without the wifi, just use the sandisk wifi+256mb SD card when I need it. Can't live without the quadband though... Can't wait to hear an official release date!

[Tasneem @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

If you look closely at the phone (better still, get the original hi-res photos), there is a Wifi sign at the top of the screen. Now these are original Mio mock ups so its likely that everything shown is real....or maybe I'm hoping too much.

I really hope they bring this out in the UK - cos am I wrong in thinking that this company hasn't brought any phone model out here?

[Tasneem @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

Heres a higher res version of the phone:
http://x.msmobiles.com/portal/images/mitac/mitac-mio-a701-flat.jpg

Wi-fi signal is there!

[Dom @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

I'm not that educated on WM5, but could they use that same icon for a GPS connection instead of Wifi? I agree, it seems strange that with all the other features of this phone that they would forget to include Wifi...

[Dom @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

Here's the reply I got when asking for more information:

Dear Mr. *******,

We can�t give any more details on the Mio A701 yet.

All we can say right now is that the Mio A701 will be available in the beginning of next year.

As soon as we have more information, we will put it on our website. So I would advise you, if you want to be fully up to date concerning our products, to check our website on a regular base.

Thank you for your interest in our company and our products.

Kind Regards,

Mio Technology

[E71 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

Every new pda phone these days is just another comprimise.

This one has built-in GPS and minus the Wifi (and if it doesn't have a USB cradle, even worse).

Other phones have Wifi but minus the built-in GPS.

So not going to waste money on a comprimise.

[Exewre @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM]

the 2 bests solutions are mitac mio a701 + spetec sd wifi card or scandisk wifi/256MO sd card
or eten M600 + bluetooth external solution ( lot of cheap good sirf3 chipset & autonomy of 12 to 17h)

i already hav a 6515 hp , ill not keep cause the gps suxxx compare to a sirf 3 after personnals tests. for info HP 67xx series ll not be launched at all & hp ll go directly to the hp 6910/6915 solution